Travels in India (Tavernier) 151.3.7

151.3.7

Having entered the chamber, the Avocat Fiscal delivered a long discourse, referring to my refusal to reply to the questions which had been given me in writing, and as for himself he required that I should be placed in gesselm, i.e. under arrest, until I had replied. I replied to that “that I was not the least astonished at what he said, and that I believed the gentlemen of the Council would think more than once before they carried it into execution; that if he wished me to reply to what he asked, it was necessary to convey it to me in a language which I understood, and not in Dutch.” He replied to this “that he had often heard me speak Dutch,” to which I responded “that in truth I did know something of the language, but did not know enough to enable me to read and understand chicanery.” As I perceived that he was offended by the use of the word chicanery, I said to him again in a firmer tone than before, “that I was not in receipt of wages from the Company, and that I had not been appointed to observe the conduct and actions of M. Constant.” The Council at length ordered the Fiscal to give me his questions in French; this he did, and fixed the period for replying at eight days. I laughed at all these questions, being well assured that I was able to put an end to the proceedings whenever I pleased. I deferred replying for another eight days beyond the eight which they had given me;